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DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

The reorganization of State government in 1970 created this agency1 with a gubernatorially appointed secretary as its chief administrator. The Secretary is responsible for appointing a director for each of the department’s divisions and supervising their activities:

Division of State Police (director referred to as Superintendent)

Division of Boiler Safety

Division of Civil Defense

Division of Motor Vehicles

Office of Intergovernmental Services

The Division of State Police assumed some previous responsibilities of the State Highway Department (RG 1549), and its Commissioner, the State Police and the State Communications Division.

The Division of Boiler Safety assumed previous responsibilities of the Board of Boiler Rules (RG 1665), and was given its own five-member advisory Council on Boiler Safety.

The Division of Civil Defense assumed previous responsibilities of the Department of Civil Defense (RG 1661). In 1971,2 this Division was redesignated the Division of Emergency Planning and Operations, with its own seven-member advisory Council on Emergency Planning and Operations. This new Council continued the membership of the previous Council on Civil Defense (RG 1667).

The Division of Motor Vehicles assumed some previous responsibilities of the State Highway Department (RG 1549), the Motor Vehicle Department (RG 1671), and the Reciprocity Commission (RG 1672).

The Office of Intergovernmental Services assumed some functions of the previous State Highway Department, the State Police and the State Communications Division. An Advisory Council on Police Training was also formed to advise the Director of this division on law enforcement training throughout the State. The Office of Intergovernmental Services later evolved into an Office of Administration for the Department.

Additionally, a seven-member Governor’s Council on Public Safety was formed to advise the Secretary on pertinent matters of public safety.

The Division of Motor Fuel Tax was created in 1977 to complement the Division of Motor Vehicles.3

In 1979, concern about toxic substances led to the creation of the Commission on the Transportation of Hazardous Materials/Commission on Hazardous Materials (RG 1956)4 as an advisory group to the Secretary of the Department.5

In 1988, the Department of Public Safety was organized as follows:

Office of Administration

Division of Boiler Safety

Division of Communication

Division of Emergency Planning and Operations

Office of Highway Safety

Division of Motor Fuel Tax

Division of Motor Vehicles

Division of State Police

In 2003, the Division of Boiler Safety and the Division of Motor Vehicles were moved to other agencies. The Division of Boiler Safety went back to the Department of Transportation and Boiler Safety went to the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. 6